Welcome to Swindon, Mr Bennett
by thequeergiraffe
Summary: So I wrote this one-shot about the Swindon Town Swoodilypoopers' favorite couple...yeah. Don't judge me. Bald John Green/Other John Green. No lemon, sorry!


(Our protagonist, a Mr. John Bennett, has just joined the Swindon Town Swoodilypoopers.)

_John Bennett stood on the sidelines, his hair as wild and erratic as the beating of his heart. He had never seen anyone like John Green: the grace of his movements, the beauty of his form, the thickness of his mustache. Bennett watched as Green made a terrific pass to a fellow teammate by the name of Voluptuous Pericard, smiling a little at the way Green whooped and cheered not only for himself but for his teammates. All in all, Bennett had never seen such a close-knit team…a fact that both excited and frightened him. Could he keep his personal life a secret? Would it affect team camaraderie? Though they had never spoken a word between them, Bennett knew suddenly he could hardly live with himself if he disappointed a man like John Green. And yet how could he tell these men- most especially Cteve Austin, who seemed a rather coarse and unruly sort of man- that he was gay? _

_Leeroy Williamson jogged up, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Bennett!" he said, smiling. "Coach said you'd be arriving today. Come on, we'll show you how the Swoodilypoopers do it." Bennett chuckled a little at the silliness of his new team's mascot and, with a tiny shake of his head, jogged out on to the field with Leeroy beside him._

_Practice was intense. Swindon Town trained hard- much harder than Bennett was used to, in fact, though he didn't mind. Playing with a group like the Swoodilypoopers was exhilarating because, though they were underdogs, they had so much heart and enthusiasm for the sport that he couldn't help but love them. Bennett felt a part of the team almost instantly, and before long all of his concerns were washed away by the cold breeze and the shouts of his team._

_Navigating the locker room was easy enough, and he found that even Cteve was pleasant enough and that he really enjoyed the company of his teammates. He spoke to almost all of them in turn- all except John Green. He couldn't help sneaking glances at Green, but so far as Bennett could tell the striker took very little interest in the team's new player. Though Bennett knew that was perhaps for the best, he couldn't help feeling a little disheartened. He didn't know why, but there was something about Green that stoked Bennett's curiosity. Maybe it was his confidence, or the way he seemed to live at the team's heart, driving everyone closer to perfection with his cheerful praise and careful criticisms. Or maybe it was something in his eyes that bespoke intelligence and natural grace. At any rate, Bennett found himself contemplating Green as he walked out of the small Swindon stadium and out to his car._

_"Hey!"_

_Bennett turned. John Green was running up towards him, his form almost as perfect in boots as it had been in cleats._

_Clearing his throat, Bennett stammered: "Oh, h-hey. You're, uh, Green, right?"_

_"Yeah." Green stuck out his hand, and Bennett shook it, hoping his own palm was devoid of sweat. Smiling, Green asked, "So, what'd you think?"_

_"Oh, uh. Well. It's a great team." Bennett swallowed hard. Had he ever looked so foolish in his life? He'd always been a reasonably eloquent man, but something about his proximity to Green was making it hard for him to think clearly._

_"Swindon, God." Green smiled broadly, his eyes lighting up. "I love these guys. Manchester's been trying to buy me for a year now, but…" He paused and looked up at the small stadium. There was something in the lines of his face that suggested he was dreaming of the glory that could one day be Swindon's and the love and loyalty of his team. Looking back at Bennett, Green said softly: "No matter what, this is my team. Win or lose. This is home."_

_For a moment the pair was silent, looking up at the stadium as the big overhead lights clicked off one after the other. With only the dim, occasionally flickering parking lot lights surrounding them now, the few apparent stars twinkled from behind thin, wispy clouds. Bennett watched Green's breath drift before him like fog and wondered if the man beside him could feel any of what he was feeling in that moment._

_As if in answer, Green swallowed hard and said, quietly, "Well, I'm sure you're tired."_

_Finding his voice, Bennett answered with a smile. "Well, you guys train hard."_

_Green grinned. "Sure do. Harder than the premiere guys, I'd bet." They fell silent again, but neither moved to walk away. After a long moment, Green looked down at his boots and mumbled, "Look, if you're hungry…"_

_"I could eat," Bennett said, perhaps too quickly._

_Green seemed both pleased and surprised. "I could introduce you to some of the finer dining establishments in Swindon, like the Rusty Spoon diner, for instance," he laughed, and Bennett laughed in turn, shaking his head. "Or," Green suggested, more seriously, "I could cook. I make a decent steak, and- don't tell anyone this, but- I have a secret stash of American beer tucked away. Ice cold, the way God intended."_

_Bennett laughed. "That sounds amazing," he said, honestly. There was something in the glance they shared that struck Bennett as more than friendly, a subtle hint that perhaps they weren't so different from one another. Taking a risk, Bennett suggested, "I could just ride with you, if you'd like. You could drop me back off here later tonight or something."_

_There was an undeniable twinkle in Green's eyes as he repeated, teasingly: "Or something."_

_**(Oh God, fandoms are fun. Hope you enjoyed this bit of silliness!)**_


End file.
